A recent military parade held in Benghazi, Libya, caught the attention of the international community and especially Russian analysts by showcasing a wide variety of Russian-made military equipment recently delivered to the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
Images from the event revealed a significant arsenal, including modern Spartak and Tigr armored vehicles, as well as the rare ZSGT-34039B snow and swamp amphibious vehicles — the latter being publicly showcased for the first time only in 2023.
Also featured in the parade were modernized Soviet-era T-72 and T-62 tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles equipped with anti-drone cages, and air defense systems such as Pantsir-S1, Pantsir-S1E, and Tor-M2E.
According to Russian military bloggers with connections in defense circles, the equipment was delivered to the LNA between 2023 and 2024, reportedly following negotiations during Haftar’s visit to Moscow in 2023, where he is said to have met with President Vladimir Putin.
However, the display of Russia’s ability to supply military equipment abroad amid an ongoing conflict in Ukraine has sparked outrage among pro-Kremlin channels and commentators. Military personnel and milbloggers expressed frustration that Russian frontline forces are suffering from equipment shortages, often resorting to improvised civilian vehicles due to heavy battlefield losses.
“Why are we sending brand new armored vehicles abroad when our troops are getting by with pickups and welding metal plates onto civilian trucks?” questioned a prominent Russian military blogger on Telegram, reflecting the growing discontent with the priorities of the Russian military machine.
The display of equipment in Libya has, on one hand, reinforced the image of resilience of Moscow’s military industry on the international stage, but it has also intensified the internal debate about a possible disconnect between military foreign policy support and the urgent operational demands in Ukraine.
Source and images: Telegram @bmpd_cast | defence-blog.com . This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
